Industry News
4 Challenges the Online Betting and Gaming Industry Will Face in the 2020s
Estimates will always vary, but there are some predictions that the online betting and gaming industry will more than double in size from the period of 2017-2024, with all online gambling-related activities almost reaching the $100 billion mark globally 2025.
That’s incredible growth for an industry that is relatively mature. But we can speculate that many outliers will have an impact, such as the liberalization of gambling laws on a state by state basis in the United States, and the clarifying of laws in countries like Finland and Germany.
However, while the growth is nevertheless a reason for the industry to celebrate, there are several areas that will present challenges to betting and gaming worldwide as we enter the next decade. We look at some of those below:
Cryptocurrency
Yes, there are countless ‘bitcoin casinos’ out there. But we also know that regulators – and governments – don’t like the idea of a marriage between cryptocurrency and gaming sites. In the end, it all boils down to transparency, and crypto is seen as the antithesis of the recent drives for KYC (know your customer) policies and anti-fraud measures. A lot will depend on the mainstreaming of cryptocurrency, perhaps driven by Facebook’s Libra coin. The MGA (Malta Gaming Authority) is exploring the viability of crypto through its Sandbox Framework, but one suspects that it will be more than a few years before we see the ubiquitous use of cryptocurrency at casinos.
Regulation
Obviously, a difficult subject to cover as different countries will have varied legal restrictions on marketing and advertising. Yet, so many national parliaments have at least proposed regulations that look like they could hamstring the industry in terms of how it markets itself. The UK Labour Party, for instance, has called for incredibly tough measures, including the introduction of minimum bet amounts and an extension of KYC policies. Some regulation and help for responsible gambling would be welcome, of course, as is regulatory clarity, but the industry will need to work with regulators to ensure that it doesn’t go too far.
Millennials
Despite the growth figures mentioned earlier, the challenges to get millennials playing at land-based and online casinos remaining. Sure, plenty of under 35s will log in to casino.com to play the roulette tables or have an online punt on the Premier League, but the challenge to get millennials interested in classic games and events like horse racing will undoubtedly give operators sleepless nights. A lot of talk has occurred over the idea of merging the world of video games and competitive casino play, perhaps harnessing the incredible popularity of games like Fortnite and certain eSports and crossing them over to casinos. It’s an interesting concept, and it’s completely foreseeable that we will see monetized video games sitting proudly beside the classic table and card games in the near future.

The eSports arena opens at UCI.photo: steve zylius/UCI
Green Issues
It’s almost guaranteed that every industry on the planet is set to face more scrutiny on its carbon footprint. Tech companies, of all types, usually escape such scrutiny, as there are more apparent culprits for campaigners to turn their ire upon. The online gaming industry can certainly point to its green superiority over the land-based industry, albeit many resorts are trying to make changes, but it still takes a lot of energy to run a popular website. Statistics aren’t available for casino games specifically, but the carbon dioxide emissions of playing video games online are said to be equivalent to the emissions of millions of cars. This is obviously not an issue related to online gaming specifically, but that doesn’t make it any less pressing to address.
Ainsworth Game Technology
AGEM Announces Board Of Directors Elected at 2026 Annual Meeting
The Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) announced that its membership elected a new Board of Directors at its 2026 Annual Meeting. AGEM Board Chair Ryan Comstock, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Ainsworth Game Technology, was not up for election as he transitions into the second year of his two-year term as Chair and led the meeting which approved one-year terms on the Board of Directors for:
• Elaine Hodgson, DIRECTOR (President / CEO, Incredible Technologies)
• Lauralyn Sandoval, DIRECTOR (Vice President of Gaming Strategy & Business Development, Aristocrat Gaming)
• Phil O’Shaughnessy, DIRECTOR (Vice President, Global Communications, Government Relations & Sustainability, IGT)
• Steve DiMasi, DIRECTOR (Senior Vice President of Global Government Affairs & Business Development, Light & Wonder)
• Randy Gilbert, SECRETARY (Chief Executive Officer, TableTrac)
• Thomas Jingoli, TREASURER (President & Chief Operating Officer, Konami Gaming).
The AGEM Board of Directors also approved one-year terms as ex-officio/non-voting members on the Board of Directors for:
• Cassie Stratford, EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR (Senior Vice President, Legal Operations & Compliance–Boyd Gaming Corporation; Global Gaming Women Advisory Board Member)
• Bob Parente, EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR & ASSISTANT TREASURER (Executive Vice President & Chief Business Development Officer, Light & Wonder).
The post AGEM Announces Board Of Directors Elected at 2026 Annual Meeting appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Industry News
QTech Games recruits banking and AI leader Jonny Youssef as CTO to drive next phase of its growth journey
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has appointed Jonny Youssef as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to lead the next phase of the company’s technology organisation, innovation and technology strategy as QTech accelerates its global expansion. Jonny will lead the continued development of QTech’s platform architecture and engineering organisation, focusing on scalability, AI-driven capabilities and next-generation tools designed to support operators and content partners across fast-growing markets. Jonny brings more than 20 years of technology leadership experience across banking, fintech, SaaS platforms and AI-driven innovation. His background combines enterprise-scale infrastructure expertise with hands-on experience building and scaling digital platforms and emerging technology systems. Previously, Jonny served as Head of Innovation for Swedbank Group Lending & Payments, where he led digital initiatives across lending, payments, APIs and digital channels within one of the Nordic region’s largest banking groups. He has also held senior technology leadership roles at Entercard Group, overseeing technology infrastructure and mission-critical production environments supporting large-scale payment operations across Nordic markets. Alongside his enterprise leadership experience, Jonny has founded and scaled several technology ventures and digital platforms. As a technology founder and CTO, he has led the design and development of international platforms operating across Europe and Asia, building distributed engineering teams and scalable digital infrastructure.
In recent years, Jonny has contributed to the development of next-generation AI and sustainability technology initiatives, including work with Circular Living and Biotonomy, where advanced AI, IoT and Edge AI systems are used to power intelligent environments, autonomous infrastructure and real-time operational insights. Beyond his commercial initiatives, he is also a board member and early contributor to The AI Community of Sweden, a national innovation network connecting professionals, enterprises and academia to collaborate on AI innovation. At QTech Games, Jonny will focus on strengthening the company’s technology foundations as it continues to scale globally, enhancing AI-driven functionality, automation and analytics capabilities that enable partners to unlock greater value from the platform. He will also oversee QTech’s engineering and technology teams to ensure continued innovation while maintaining the speed, reliability and integration flexibility that have become hallmarks of QTech’s aggregation platform.
QTech Games’ CEO, Philip Doftvik, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jonny to QTech at an important moment in our growth journey.
“He brings a rare combination of enterprise technology leadership, platform-building expertise and forward-looking innovation in AI and automation. His experience across banking infrastructure, global digital platforms and emerging technology ecosystems makes him uniquely positioned to guide us through its next phase of technological evolution.
“As we continue to expand across emerging markets, Jonny’s leadership will help ensure we remain at the forefront of innovation — delivering scalable infrastructure, AI-driven insights and powerful technology solutions that help our partners grow.”
Jonny Youssef added: “QTech Games has built a strong reputation as one of the most innovative and reliable aggregation platforms serving emerging markets.
“What impressed me most is the company’s focus on speed, simplicity and partner success — combined with a clear ambition to continue evolving the platform through technology. I’m excited to join the team at a time when AI, automation and data-driven capabilities are creating new opportunities to deliver even greater value to operators and game providers.
“My focus will be on strengthening the platform architecture, scaling our technology capabilities with AI and supporting the next phase of QTech’s growth.”
The post QTech Games recruits banking and AI leader Jonny Youssef as CTO to drive next phase of its growth journey appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
GameOn
GameOn Expands Fractional CMO Division with Appointment of Roxana Nazalu
GameOn, the specialist iGaming marketing and PR agency, has added Roxana Nazalu to its growing GameOn CMO team.
Roxana joins as a Fractional CMO and in a consulting capacity. She will be responsible for supporting clients across campaign strategy, creation and implementation.
Roxana is one of the most experienced iGaming marketers in the industry, having worked for some of the biggest names in the business.
This includes the likes of Las Vegas Sands, Casimba Gaming, Aspire Global and Pragmatic Play.
This experience led her to launch Orange Synapse, a specialist agency serving iGaming providers in markets across the world.
Roxana’s appointment as a Fractional CMO Consultant marks a deeper collaboration between GameOn and Orange Synapse, allowing each to offer a wider range of products and services to its respective clients.
GameOn’s Fractional CMO service has gone from strength to strength since launching back in October 2024.
Led by Alex Wilson, it allows clients to unlock the benefits of a full-time CMO but on a fractional basis, making it the perfect option for start-ups and smaller organisations in growth phase. It’s also a great option for established organisations, allowing them to embrace marketing as a revenue engine and not just a support function, but with board-level accountability.
Alex Wilson, Head of Marketing Division at GameOn, said: “We are delighted to welcome Roxana to the GameOn CMO team at such a pivotal moment for our agency. Since launching our fractional service in 2024, the demand for high-level strategic leadership, without the overhead of a full-time executive, has exploded.
“Roxana is a powerhouse in the iGaming space and her track record with global giants like Pragmatic Play and Las Vegas Sands speaks for itself.
“By bringing her expertise into the fold, we’re not just adding a consultant, we’re significantly deepening our strategic offering and ensuring our clients have access to the very best marketing minds in the business.”
Roxana Nazalu, Fractional CMO Consultant at GameOn, added: “Joining forces with GameOn is a natural evolution for me and a fantastic opportunity for Orange Synapse.
“I’ve always admired GameOn’s reputation for delivering clear, results-driven PR and marketing within the iGaming sector. This collaboration allows us to offer a truly holistic service, bridging the gap between high-level strategy and technical implementation for slot studios, operators, affiliates, payment providers and other industry stakeholders.
“My focus will be on helping clients navigate complex markets and scale their brands with the agility that the fractional model provides. I look forward to working alongside Alex and the team to drive meaningful growth for our partners.”
The post GameOn Expands Fractional CMO Division with Appointment of Roxana Nazalu appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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